Railway crossing



May 16, 1933. G BLAIR 1,908,677

J n m m Filed June 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l L J lo l 3 1 J H[. F\\

2.2 INVENTOR.

By Pd; 2% )M ATTORNEY.

May 16, 1933. G BLA|R 1,908,677

RAILWAY CROSSING Filed June 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

G ro ve'r F Blair ATTORNEY.

Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFHCE Application filed June 15, 1931. Serial No. 544,406.

The invention relates to railroad crossings reference character 5. Each section conand its object is to provide .a crossing by sists of a body 6 having four radiating arms which a train may travel on a continuous 7, 8, 9, 10. Each arm is longitudinally track without interference from the other or slotted to form a rail tread 11, a throat. 12 7 5 second track and avoid the noise and wear and a guard rail 13. The longer arms 9, 1O 55 and tear attending the commonly used crossof each section are preferably beveled at m 7 their outer ends so as to about the corre- Another object is to provide a crossing sponding ends of the corresponding arms of controllable at a remote point for traflic on another section. The outer ends of the 10 either track and which is positively locked shorter arms 8 of each section abut the 6 against operation until released. ends of the adjacent rails ofthe two tracks. Another object is to provide a crossing in The tread surfaces 11 are level and of the which rotatable rail elements to turn tables same height so that they line up with and at the intersecting points of the rails are so are level with the treads of the rails respec: 15 formed and operated that the tralfic on one tlvely and are continuous therewith. 65 track always moves on the. same surface of Each body 6 is cored, as shown in Fig. 3, said elements and traliic on the other track to receive a rotatable rail sectionor turnalways rides on another surface of said eletable 14. The wall 15 of the upper portion Inents. of the coring tapers slightly downwardly and Another object is to provide a rotatable inwardly, and the wall 16 adjacent the wall 70 rail element at each intersection of the rails 15 tapers relatively sharply, and below the of two tracks which will not bind in its supwall 16 the wall 17 tapers inwardly at any porting structure and which will withstand desired angle to the wall 16, or it may be a maximum of wear. I substantially straight. Oil grooves 18 are Other objects will be referred to herelnformed in the walls 15 and 17. after. Each rail section or turntable 14 is formed The invention consists in a plurality of to seat on the walls of the coring, with its tapered turntables pivotally mounted at the lower end projecting below the bottom of the intersecting points of the rails of two tracks body 6. A stem 19 dependsxfrom the lower and connected for simultaneous operation end of the turntable 14, theupper portion and means to lock the turntables in alineof the stem having flat faces to receive a ment with the rails of either track. washer 20 and an arm 21. The lower end The invention is illustrated in the accom- 22 of the stem is threaded to receive the. nut panying drawings in which 22 by which to clamp the arm 21 and the Figure 1' is a plan view of a crossing emwasher firmly on the turntable. The washer 85 bodying the invention; Fig. 2 a cross section 20 is larger in diameter than the lower end on line 2+2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a fractlonal of the turntable so that iteXtends beneath view of the crossing broken away and partly the .body 6 and prevents the turntable from .in'section; Fig. 4 a plan view of one of the moving upwardly out of the coring. The 40 turntables; Fig. 5 a cross section on llne 5-5 washer normally does not contact with the of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 an elevational' view of a bottom side of the body, so that the table modified form of the turntable; and Fig. 7 a is free to turn on its seat. bottom plan view of the washer. The edge of the washer is removed for a Referring to the illustrative embodiment selected distance to form two spacedshoulof the invention, 1, 2 represent sections of ders or stops 23 for abutment by a pin 24, the two rails of one track and 8,4 represent which depends from the bottom of the body sections of the two rails of another trackthat 6. The abutmentsjlimit the rotation of the crosses the first named track. The crossing washer and the turntable in both directions. for the two tracks is made preferably in tour A throat or groove 25 is formed in the top similar sections indicated generally by the side of the turntable and extends the full 9 levers 40, 41 pivotallymounted on the ties width thereof. At opposite sides of the groove two tread surfaces 26, 27 are formed which are level with the tread surfaces 11 on the arms 7 8, 9 and 10 of the body. The surface of the turntable between each tread 26, 27 and the adjacent peripheral edge is lower than the tread so as to accommodate the treadfiof-ra-wheel zwhichmay be so worn. that the-outerportionmight otherwise contact with said surface.

A hole 28 is formed inthe side ofthe turns table 14 and is adapted to register with either of two apertures 29 formeduingthel body 6 in which the pins 30, 31 are longitudinally slidably supported? Therods 32 are suitably pivotally connected to the pins 30respectively and to a suitable member 33? revolubly=mounted on the cross-tie 34.v 'An arm-35is secured to or is integral; with the member 33 and a rod 36 is suitably pivotally connec-ted to the arm 35 andv to a-bell? crank lever 37 to which lever a rod 38 is connected; Therod 38-leads from. a suitable ope-rating member,- such as the usual lever installedinatower; ,A similar arrangement ofrod 32 and lever 37 is operativelyconnectedto the pins 31".

A-rod 39also le'adsfrom the tower or other point and is connected to the Tcrank 42. The, crank 40 is operatively' connected by the rods' 43,44 to the arms 21 'on'the turntables 45, 46- and the ,crank141 is operatively connected by the rods-47,. 48 "to the arms 21. on-the turntables 49,50 the arm on each turntable being so positioned that when the rod 39 'is reciprocated, as to the left in Fig. 1, the cranks. 40; 41willicause the turntables to rotate sufficientlyto cause the treads not engaged by the'previous train on one. track to line up for use by-the train travelling on the other track: In Fig. 1, the treads26 on the turntable s 45, 46 and the treads 27? on the turntables 49;50'are set for use by the trafficon the rails 1, 2. Upon reciprocating the rod 39 to-theileft the turntables are rotated to set the other tread on each table for use by the-trafiicon the'rai-ls 3,4. Thus the traflic on one track always travels on the same treads onthe turntables and trafii'c on the other track always travels on the other treads on the turntables, the treads being continuous wi-ththe treads on the arms of the-bodies dwithwhich' they .are in alinement. Hence there is no interference be tween the two tracks and the usual'noise and the spreadingof the metal at the commonly used crossing are avoided.

The locking pins must necessarily be with-. drawn from the turntables before the turntables can be rotated andof course no pin can. be inserted into any hole 28 in a turntable until-the holeis in alinement'with the pin. The stops 23. on the washer 20 cooperate with the-,pin-24 toassure ali'nement of the hole 28.

with the pin 30, 31 respectively. The hole 28 is somewhat oval in form so as to provide enough play for the pin to accommodate any downward vertical movement of the turntable as it wears.

Since the turntables are tapered they do not tend to bind in the bodies 6. Lubricant of :suitable form supplied to the grooves 18 will lubricate the contacting surfaces and makeforeasy rotation of the turntables. Theoilgrooves-may-be formed at all desirable points in the wall of the coring.

The ties are preferably diagonally placed so that the structure will be rigidly supported-. I

In practice the-arms on each section 5 will radiate at the proper angles to cause them to coincide with the rails of the two tracks and the stops 23 Will be properly spaced to control the movements of the turntables in accast form,,butfit is evident that theymay be formed in any suitable manner.

In Fig, 6 the intermediate sloping peripheral wall 61 of the turntable 60 is more extensiveand the slope of the lower wall 62,.

is less than that .of the-corresponding, walls of the turntable 14. .Thetaper of the turntable will'be suchas will prevent sticking of theitable on its seat.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway orossing the combination:

formed upon its upper surface, body meme.

bers eachhaving a tapered opening. to receive and revolubly support a turntable with its lower end projecting. fromthe. bottom of the body member, means. operatively connected to the projectingends. of the tables to turn them, meansto releasably lock thetables to the. body' members, means tolimit the turnmg movement of the tablesineach'. direct-ion.

andrail and guard formingmembers radiat-F ing'. from the body members respectively some 7 of which are adapted to aline with'and abut the main rails of the two tracks and the remainder of whichabut to form rails continuous withthe main rails. respectively. 3

2. Ina railway crossing, the combinations of tapered turn tables placed at the intersece tions of the mainrails of the crossing tracks, each turn table having a rail tread formed upon its surface, body members each havinga tapered opening to 'IQCQIVB- and revolubly supportaturn table with its lower endprojecting fromthe bottom of thebody member,

rail tread forming members on the body members at opposite sides of the tapered openings respectively and means connected to the projecting ends of the turn tables for turning them to cause the rail treads on the turn tables to connect with opposite rail tread forming members on the body members.

3. In a railway crossing, the combination of tapered turn tables placed at the intersections of the main rails of the crossing tracks, each turn table having a rail tread formed on its top surface, body members each having a tapered opening adapted to receive a turn table with its lower end projecting from the bottom of the body, rail tread-forming members on the body members at opposite sides of the tapered openings therein and adapted V to be alined with the main rails, means connected to the projecting ends of the turntables to rotate the turn tables to cause their rail treads to aline with either opposite rail tread-forming members on the body members respectively and means to releasably lock the turn tables in adjusted position.

GROVER F. BLAIR. 

